Unrepentant and still contesting his conviction, former Regina businessman-fraudster Steven Vincent Weeres is now a parolee, mere months into a lengthy prison sentence.

As a non-violent offender serving his first federal term behind bars, Weeres, 57, qualified for Accelerated Parole Review and is now out after seven months.

“The basic difference is that they’re eligible for parole at one-sixth of their sentence, rather than one-third,” Parole Board of Canada spokesman Patrick Storey explained. (The federal government ended the program in 2011, but courts have since ruled the change doesn’t apply retroactively to those, like Weeres, whose crimes pre-date the revamped law.)

“You preyed on unsuspecting individuals and bilked them of thousands of dollars. You impacted your victims’ financial well being, emotional well being and their credit ratings,” states his recent parole decision. “However, the board finds that you do not have a significant history of violence, nor have you been involved in the use of weapons. There is no indication that you have exhibited a pattern of violent behaviour, or that you have risk factors that would likely lead you to commit an offence involving violence,” it continues.

The board granted Weeres day and full parole on May 6. The Leader-Post has learned he’s residing in a B.C. halfway house.

Contacted by phone Saturday, Weeres said his appeal of conviction for fraud and money laundering “is still moving foward.” He never appealed sentence. No date for the appeal has been set.

Among the board’s release conditions was one forbidding self-employment, which didn’t sit well with Weeres, who registered a written objection.

“It is clear that you have been self-employed for much of your life. It is also clear that you are unable or unwilling to acknowledge that you have committed criminal acts and you show very little empathy for the victims or your actions,” states the decision.

Asked about his plans now that he’s free, Weeres said he “obviously has to abide by the restrictions on parole.” After mentioning how bad publicity has hampered doing anything further with his Master Keys to Success investment, Weeres declined further comment.

“Right now I’m not doing any business at all,” he added.

After convicting Weeres following a lengthy trial, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Janet McMurtry sentenced him on Oct. 6 to four years in prison for fraud, an additional year for money laundering and a possible two further years in custody if he fails to pay a $200,000 fine in lieu of forfeiture. The total was reduced by 505 days for time already served, leaving three years, seven months and 13 days plus the possible two extra years if the fine goes unpaid for two years.

He was also ordered to pay $482,690 in victim restitution — although McMurtry conceded his assets may be tough to trace. She noted a $500,000 profit is still unaccounted for from the sale of a B.C. hotel bought with Saskatchewan investors money. Weeres, representing himself without a lawyer, told the court he had no assets but had plans for a new business — one the prosecutor said was then the subject of outstanding charges in B.C.

Between January 2003 and December 2005, investors poured in nearly $900,000 into Master Keys to Success. The judge found much of investors’ money was spent on vacations, rent for a luxurious beachfront home on Vancouver Island, dining out, drinking and gambling.

The parole decision notes Weeres has a lengthy history of offending, including convictions for fraud, impaired driving and theft.

Storey said for regular parole, the board considers if an inmate poses an undue risk of any offending, but for accelerated parole, focuses on the potential for violent offending.

At the time of his parole hearing, the board noted Weeres had outstanding charges for assault and fail to appear from 2009 — for allegedly pushing a security guard — as well as two outstanding charges for fraud exceeding $5,000. The current status of the charges was unavailable.

The board imposed several release conditions: That he stay away from booze; provide documented financial information to his parole supervisor; not be in a position of responsibility for the management of finances or investments for any individual, charity, business or institution; and not be self-employed or own or operate a business.

“Having the type of employment you engage in restricted and your finances monitored will help to manage your risk to re-offend,” the board wrote.

“Your offences are serious in nature,” the decision adds, “and there is a need to be vigilant in monitoring your risk factors.”